Chêne
by cutebrowniepuppy
Summary: A little girl with a special gift. A strange phenomena that sets her course in the future. What is her destiny? The frightening mythology of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series becomes inextricably intwined with Chene's life as well as the life of her brother, Aiden.


The night was dark and cold. Rain came down in sleets, filling the street with water. A little girl in a green cloak walked quietly through the roads of Paris. She knew the route to her home forward and back. Confident that she would never get lost, she didn't quite notice how unusually long it was taking. After about an hour and a half, she stopped, shivering with cold. _Why aren't I home yet?_ she thought. She couldn't have made a wrong turn, but she turned around anyway to try to find some street signs. The first one she came to was _Rue Montmorency_. That's odd. She'd never been here before. Lightning flashed in the distance. She counted the seconds until the thunder hit. _1...2... BOOM!_ The storm was closer than she thought. Huddling against a building, she prayed that the storm would pass over, leaving her unharmed.

In the darkness across from her, a shape detached itself from the shadows. The girl looked up and around, but didn't seem to notice. The man watched silently. He was waiting for someone else to come by. Briefly he wondered who she was, and what she was doing here. Unfortunate for her, he didn't care what happened to her.

The little girl shivered again, then heard footsteps. She looked down the street. Judging by the size of the shadow, the person was a man probably in his 30's. Scared, she pulled the cloak around herself and hoped that the dark color would camouflage her. He walked closer and closer until he turned and almost ran into her.

"I'm sorry little girl," he said in perfect french, tipping his hat, "but you seem to be blocking my doorway."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, moving to the side. The stranger looked at her.

"You seem a little depressed. What's wrong?" he asked kindly. She sniffled and rubbed her nose with her sleeve.

"I got lost and I don't know where I am."

"Well, that is unacceptable! What street is your house on? I could show you the way," he smiled.

She was a bit wary to tell a stranger her address, but she did need help... "It's on Rue Nicholas Flamel," she said cautiously.

"Alright! I know right where that is Miss...?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

"That's very smart of you. Let's go." He took her hand and started to walk then stopped and listened for something. She could see fear in his eyes as they darted to and fro. Then he started to walk at a much faster pace. Curious, she looked around where the man was looking and saw another person detach himself from the shadows.

"Hold it right there Nicolas," her leader stopped, "where do you think you're going with that book?" As he stalked closer, Nicolas whispered, "Get behind me," obediently, she hid behind him, wondering what this was all about.

"So, John, how are you doing these days?" he casually asked.

"Oh, stop it. You know you can't win. Just hand over the book and nobody gets hurt," he looked at her as he said this, smiling like an eel. She grimaced and looked away.

"Well, you know I'm never going to give it to you and your slimy master," Nicolas shot back. The girl stared as he started glowing green. The smell of mint wafted from him so strongly that she gasped and stepped back, coughing. Looking at John, something similar was happening to him, except he was turning a dirty yellow color. _What was going on?_ Nicolas moved his fingers and the ground below John turned to liquid. He jumped before he could get sucked in, and the same thing happened to that ground. He jumped and jumped until he was halfway across the street, then shot his own magic at Nicolas. Growling, he flicked his hand and lightning shot from his fingers. Caught by surprise, Nicolas ducked and it sailed over his head. The girl was luckily too short for it to hit her.

Open-mouthed, she watched the brawl. Then she came to a conclusion that this must be a dream. She may not remember falling asleep, but isn't that always how dreams were? Only she would imagine things like this awake and in her unconscious mind. She decided to run the way Nicolas was going to take her. John watched and shot some more lightning, this time aiming at her. She was a very fast runner and he was a bad aim, especially trying to get away from Nicolas' beams of energy. _Wait a minute. _

_If this is a dream, why am I running?_ She stopped and turned toward John.

"No!" Nicolas yelled, but it was too late. Another bolt of lightning was on it's way, this time, on his desired path. A split second earlier from above, a shot of natural lightning was also coming down, straight at her. Just before they hit, the clock struck Midnight and she glowed white. As the white was changing to a light pink, both bolts of lightning struck at the exact same time, one on her head, and the other on her heart. She screamed as the resulting thunder boomed in her eardrums and collapsed. Both men stood, perplexed at the phenomenon that had just happened before their eyes. Nicolas recovered quickly, and sunk John to the ground before he could jump out, hardening it around his legs. Then he ran, scooped up the little girl in his hands, and jumped through the Ley Gate he had used to get there.

She woke up a few hours later in a stranger's home. Sitting up, she gasped. Everything looked so _clear_. A woman emerged from a doorway and smiled.

"Nocolas! She's awake!" she yelled excitedly. The girl winced and covered her ears as the sound boomed. _So, I'm still in that dream_. Nicolas rushed in and she sighed.

"Can I wake up yet?" she asked him.

"My girl, you just woke up," Nicolas rubbed his temples. He looked really tired.

"No, I mean from the dream where I was lost, you found me, then you and that John character had a duel of magic. That was really cool by the way-"

"I'm sorry, but that was not a dream," he persisted. She looked into his eyes as he said this, and he did not look away. He must be telling the truth.

"Then _how_...?" she started, at a loss for words.

"My name is Nicolas Flamel. This is my wife, Perenelle," Nicolas gestured to the woman by the doorway, "I was born in the year 1330. My wife and I translated the Book of Abraham the Mage and found an immortality elixir. John Dee is out to steal it with his Dark Elder who made him immortal. Magic does exist, and we need it to survive. Now that I've introduced myself, would you tell me your name?"

"My name is Chene," she said, still not quite believing this was all real.

"How old are you Chene?"

"Eleven."

"And how do you feel?" Chene thought for a moment.

"My ears hurt when Perenelle called to you, I can still taste my last meal, and my clothes feel really stiff and scratchy. Did I fall in some mud or something?" Nicolas looked at Perenelle and she strode over.

"No, dear. You didn't fall in mud," she said gently, "Somehow, when the lightning hit you, your aura flared up and protected you then you were awakened." Chene was about to ask a question when Nicolas came in and elaborated.

"When you are awakened, that means you can learn magic," he said.

Chene's eyes widened, "Really?! How?"

"Sorry, but we've already put you in enough danger. Don't tell anyone what we told you, and if you want to learn magic, that's for you to find out yourself," Perenelle said kindly, yet with finality. Disappointed, Chene looked down at her hands.

"Now, I think it's about time we got you home. You family must be worried sick!" Nicolas told her. That really lightened her spirits. She loved her family, and would hate to give them a sleepless night. Hopping from the couch, she followed Nicolas outside to the Ley Gate. He gave her the directions to her house.

"Dee would spot me in an instant," Nicolas explained. Chene, after the dizzy re-aligning of the Ley Gate, walked carefully home, where her family bombarded her with hugs and kisses. All she could say was, "I got lost and had to sleep on the street." She felt terrible lying to her parents, but she had promised Nicolas Flamel that she would not tell anyone anything.


End file.
